The Colors of Life: Purple
by SSAEmilyHotchner
Summary: The first story in my "Colors of Life" series. Major fluff and nothing but pure heartwarming sweetness. How does the Hotchner family celebrate Emily's birthday? With cupcakes. Hope you love it!


Author's Note: I was just wondering what to write next, and I decided to write a series. What better than the colors of the rainbow? (: This is just major fluff, and I hope you like it. It definately made me smile. :D

Disclaimer: I do not own the best TV show in the world, Criminal Minds, or any of its characters. Except for Avery. (:

* * *

Hotch was awaken by the sound of whispering.

"He's awake!" he heard his three year old daughter, Avery, say.

"Daddy, you need to come with us. It's really serious," came the voice of Jack.

He sat up slowly, making sure that Emily was still asleep. "Alright, I'm up." He glanced at the clock. They had around an hour until she would wake. "Let's go make some cupcakes."

He carried Avery to the kitchen, Jack following close behind. "Purple icing, daddy. Don't forget."

"I got it, Jack. Now, are you two going to help?" he asked his two children. They nodded enthusiastically. "Okay, Jack you can get the eggs. _Please_ don't drop them," he added as a precaution.

Jack Hotchner looked up at his father, the resemblance between the two unmistakable. "I would never, daddy."

Hotch nodded. "Avery, do you have mommy's card?" The three year old smiled widely, showing the gap in between her small front teeth. She ran to her room and came back quickly, holding her and Jack's homemade birthday card.

"Great." Hotch began mixing the cupcake batter. "Jack, can you find the cupcake pan?"

"Okay." The seven year old rummaged through the cabinet of pots and pans, finally pulling out the one that his father desired. Forty minutes later and the chocolate and vanilla cupcakes were finished.

"Icing time!" Avery squealed in the way that only a preschooler could. Hotch carefully topped the cupcakes with the light purple icing. Jack sneaked a finger into the container.

"Jack…" Hotch said in warning, but the boy licked his finger anyway, causing his half-sister to laugh. Within minutes, Hotch was having to grab his children and carry them away from the cupcakes before they ended up having an icing fight. He couldn't help but chuckle when he saw his son draw a smiley face on Avery's cheek with the icing. Then he sighed and attacked them with paper towels, wiping their faces clean. "Alright you guys, behave. We still need to put the candles in." Jack and Avery got the job, carefully placing the pink, yellow and green candles perfectly in the center of each cupcake. They stood back as Hotch lit the candles, placing the cupcakes on a tray along with the card and a single yellow rose.

"It's birthday time for mommy," Avery stated plainly as the three of them quietly walked to the bedroom.

~.~.~

Emily woke, feeling for Aaron on his side of the bed. She was met with nothing. Opening her eyes, she looked around the room. She was alone.

A few seconds passed before she heard a "Shhh!" on the other side of the door. She smiled, closing her eyes and feigning sleep. The bedroom door opened and Hotch, Jack and Avery filed in silently. "Can we wake her up?" Jack asked in a whisper. Hotch nodded, and before he knew it, his two children were jumping on the bed screaming, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY!"

Emily did not open her eyes.

The kids stopped. "Mommy?" Avery asked curiously.

Jack looked confused. "Daddy, she's not waking – AHHH!" He screamed as Emily quickly pounced on him and Avery, tickling them mercilessly.

"Daddy, help!" Avery screamed between laughter. Hotch laughed along with them, setting down the tray on the bed-side table, and joined in, tickling his wife. After a few more seconds, Emily gave up. "Alright, alright, I surrender!" The family stopped, trying to catch their breath. Jack was the first to speak. "We made cupcakes, Mommy!"

She gasped theatrically. "You did? For me? I feel so special!" Avery gave her mom a hug, and as with Hotch and Jack, the resemblance between mother and daughter was striking. Jack joined in and started forcing her to eat one. Leaning against Hotch she said, "Well, they certainly look really delicious! Can I have one?"

Hotch grabbed one and fed it to her. Emily smiled as the moment reminded her of their wedding. A sudden thought hit her. "Aaron, if you shove that in my face…"

He laughed, remembering the wedding. "I won't, I won't, just eat the cupcake."

She blew out the candle and obliged, giving an exaggerated moan. "Oh my gosh, these are the best cupcakes that I have ever tasted…" The kids smiled in delight, singing "Happy Birthday" and handing her their card. Emily was overjoyed as she read it. It was so touching. She kissed both her children. "I love you both _so_ much, you know that right?"

Hotch feigned sadness. "What about me?" he asked dejectedly.

"Well, where's your present?" she responded jokingly, fingering the beautiful rose.

"I was kind of saving it for later…" he whispered, kissing her neck.

"Hmm…how much later?"

"Tonight," he said, smiling suggestively.

"I can't wait." Emily turned to face him and noticed something on his shirt. "What's that, Aaron?" she asked curiously, pointing to the stain.

He looked down at the purple icing that ruined his shirt and laughed. "We sort of had an incident in the kitchen…"


End file.
